Film developing apparatus known in the art is not applicable in developing overexposed or underexposed films so that the overexposure or underexposure could be corrected by a shortened, or prolonged, first development, as is well known from film development accomplished individually by manual operation. The film developing apparatus of prior art is not proper either if one should wish to prolong the final washing step, which improves the permanence of the film. The drawbacks mentioned are due to the circumstance that the transport of films in the consecutive developing tanks takes place with the aid of film transporting means, simultaneously, whereby if the developing time, respectively the rinsing time, of the films in any one tank, for instance in the first development tank or in the final washing tank, were prolonged and/or reduced this would also cause a change in the treatment times of the films in the other tanks, e.g. of the colour developing. It is thus understood that automated film developing devices of the prior art are only fit for film developing in a unitary way; and they cannot be used to develop films which require special developing or handling conditions and times. Underexposed and overexposed films as well as other films requiring special treatment have to be developed, nowadays, in that the machine is emptied of all films that have to be normally developed, whereafter the machine is adjusted in accordance with the said requirement and the special developing is carried out. Finally, the machine is readjusted for the original developing schedule.